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Paul Skenes' Strikeout Prop May Be the Best Bet in Baseball

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes has been automatic with his strikeout prop this season.

Peter Dewey

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes. / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes has had quite the first season in MLB.

An All-Star despite only making 11 starts before the break, Skenes started the All-Star Game for the National League and is now the No. 3 choice in the odds to win the Cy Young Award.

The rookie has put up impressive numbers all season, and he's allowed bettors to cash in as a result. After striking out eight batters over 8.1 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, Skenes has now cleared his K's prop in 10 of his 12 starts.

Does that make this prop the best bet in baseball?

It just might be.

Skenes ranks in the 96th percentile in strikeout percentage this season, and he's in the 98th percentile in pitching run value. A flamethrower, Skenes has punched out at least seven batters in 11 of his 12 starts, totaling 97 strikeouts across 74.2 innings of work.

On top of that, Skenes is working deep into games, recording at least 18 outs (six innings) in seven consecutive outings. That gives him a quality ceiling when it comes to the prop market.

After his 8.1-inning gem against the Cardinals, Skenes moved down to +300 to win the NL Cy Young. While betting on his K's prop should be given at this point, bettors can also back him in the futures market if they believe he keeps up this torrid pace for the rest of 2

2024 NL Cy Young Odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

  • Chris Sale +140
  • Zack Wheeler +175
  • Paul Skenes +300
  • Tyler Glasnow +2500
  • Logan Webb +3500
  • Ranger Suarez +4000
  • Dylan Cease +5000
  • Reynaldo Lopez +5000

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Published
Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.

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